School Sports Victoria 15-and-unders head to Darwin for national championships

The squad is blessed with rich cricketing bloodlines with the relatives of three former Bushrangers selected; Mackenzie Harvey, nephew of Ian, Sam Elliott, son of Matthew and Will Sutherland, son of James.

“We are really excited for the future of Victorian cricket,” Victorian 15-and-under assistant coach Shane Koop said.

“We have a well-balanced side with a great mix of pace and spin, a quality batting line-up and a number of players that have performed well in Cricket Victoria’s pathway program.

“We have some great young men in the side that are looking forward to the challenge of playing in what is traditionally off-season for Victorian cricketers and competing in the warmer climate of Darwin.”

With the trials process beginning last year, performances were monitored by the selection panel during representative cricket across the January school holiday period with further trial games held prior to announcing the final 13.

“Our aim is to give the squad a professional experience, one that challenges them and drives them to be the best cricketer they can be,” Koop said.

Further representative opportunities will be on offer with the best cricketers from the School Sport Australia 15-and-under Cricket Championships forming a Cricket Australia XI to take part in the Under-17 National Championships in September.

The School Sport Australia 15-and-under Cricket Championships takes place from June 13 to 19, 2015. To view a fixture, please click here.

The Victorian 15-and-under squad
Name – School & Region
Shubham Bhargave – McKinnon Secondary College & South East Bayside Breakers
James Boyce – Wesley College & Inner East Emus
Samuel Elliott – Carey Grammar School & Inner East Emus
Fraser Ellis – Wangaratta High School & North East Knights
Zak Evans – Xavier College & Inner East Emus
Mackenzie Harvey – Brighton Grammar School & South East Bayside Breakers
Dulnath Hendawitharana – Mount Waverley Secondary College & Southern Pioneers
Dylan Landt – Maribyrnong College & Central Highlands
Nathan Murphy – Brighton Grammar School & South East Bayside Breakers
Andrew Poppa – Notre Dame College & Northern Rivers
Connor Rutland – Viewbank College & Northern Falcons
Will Sutherland – Scotch College & Inner South East Scorpions
Harry Wardlaw – St Kevin’s College & South East Bayside Breakers

Coach: Leigh Holmes
Assistant Coach: Shane Koop
Team Manager: Gerald Lanigan

Photo: Back (from left): Shane Koop (assistant coach), Harry Wardlaw, Nathan Murphy, Samuel Elliott, Will Sutherland, Zak Evans, Andrew Poppa, Leigh Holmes (coach)
Front (from left): Dulnath Hendawitharana, Dylan Landt, James Boyce, Connor Rutland, Mackenzie Harvey, Fraser Ellis.  
Absent from photo: Shubham Bhargave and Gerald Lanigan (team manager)